Hand sled



April 25, 1939` w. E. mm-:R 2,155,714

HAND SLED Filed Nov. 22, 1937 ATTORNEYS f1/7 7.- BY C @J www Patented Apr. 25, 1939 o, sLED I William' Kidder, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to KalamazooaSled Company, Kalamazoo, `Mich. Application-November 22,1937, serial No. 175,825

k i i (Cl. ,?.80-23)V This invention relates to improvementslin hand sleds. ,-V .-j The main objects of thisinvention are: w First, to provide-an improved hand sled par- ,5 ticularly of the push typewhich is-light inrweight and at the same time very strong and rigid..

Second, 'to provide a structure having these'advantagesV which is economical in its. parts andthe assembly thereof. lo Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow. `The vinvention ispointed out in the claims. A structureembodying the inf vention is illustrated in the accompanying draw= ing,inwhich: 'w Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved hand sled. Fig. 2'is a plan view thereof. I Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryyiew par-V tially in section on line 3 3 :of Fig. 1 showing details of the runners' and the.knees. 'Y o Fig. 3A is an elevation offone ofthevknees'.A

Fig 4 is an'enlarged fragmentary view partially in section on line 4-,-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section ltaken von line 5 5 of'Fig. 3. 25 Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailsection taken on lineS-BofFigS.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged-detail section. on line` 'I,-`I oiFig. 3. I The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises side rails I,-I connected by rear, cross piece 2 which constitutes a bench for the knees, and also by the front cross piece 4 and the intermediate cross piece 5. The rearcross vpiece `2 is arranged on the underside ofthe siderails I,

while the cross piece 4 is arranged `on the top thereof. The intermediate cross piece 5 is also arranged on the under sidel of the side rails. Bottom slats S are arranged upon and secured to the rear and intermediate cross Ypieces2 and 5. s The runners 'I are formed of Tiron or angle iron of T cross section arranged in antinverted position. .The frontends of, the runners are upwardly curved at 8 and the vfront ends ofthe ,vertical'V legs of the runnersv are out away to'provide horizontally disposed ears S'wliich aresecuredto the under sides of theside rails bybolts or rivets I 0. These bolts or rivets also secure thefront cross piece 4. Thereai` ends of the,y vertical legs of the runners are cut away'and the rearl ends 50 of the horizontal legs are turned upwardly at |09 to facilitate drawing the sled backward and also to present a rounded surface which is less likely to cause injury than a sharp edge.`

The knees 3 are' formed as sheet metal stamp- 55 ings and are provided with downwardlydiverging legs I'Il of channel cross section, as clearly shown in the drawing the web portions of the legs at their. lower ends being longitudinally slotted to provide downwardly projecting outer and inner ears I2 and I3 respectively, disposed on opposite sides of the vertical arms I4 ofthe runner and secured thereto by means of through rivets I5.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 3A that the lower ends of the legs are curved so that the bottom portions are substantially vertical and their slots are vertical to receive the vertical legs of the runners as clearly sho-wn in Fig. 3 so that thefhorizontal legs of the runners are presented flatwise to the ground instead of inclined as is quite' common. practice in sled runners.

The outer' arms of the channeled legs Vare provided with outwardly projecting flanges I6. which extend from the top to bottom thereof and are continued under the ears I2. The. inner arms of the channeled legs are provided with upwardly widening flanges I'I set at bracing angles to `take side strains. These flanges extend at the lower end into the ears I3 and merge into or are connected to the bracketportions I8 of the knees which project inwardly below the bench cross piece 2 and are secured thereto by bolts or rivets I9 passing through the knees, the bench cross pieces, and the side rails, and by the fastening 20, see Fig. 3. This provides a very rigid knee structure which is formed as a sheet metal stamping and may be formed of quite light weight stock. At the same time it is very rigid and capable of withstanding .heavy strain. This is of particue lar advantage in a hand sled as, while strength is requiredit is also desirable thatthey structure be as light as practical. Y The side `,bars 2l are disposed in spaced relation above the side rails I and are connected thereto by the vertical spindles 22. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that the rear ends of the side bars project substantially beyond the rear. ends of the side rails. Cross pieces 23, 24 are-arranged between the rear ends of the side rails-and side vbars respectively, and rigidly secured thereto, fastenings 25 being conventionally shown in Fig. l'. These cross pieces not only serve as tie or brace members for the side rails and the side bars, but they also serve as supports for the backrslatsZS which are xedly secured thereto. Y i The handle comprises a pair of metal side members 21 whichv have forwardly projecting arms 2S'at their lower ends disposed on the inner sides o fj the side bars 2! and secured thereto as by means of screws 2,9. The side members ZIhave 2 c inward offsets 30 at a point above the tops of the back slats-26 which provide a pair of parallel upper portions 3| which are connected at their outer ends by hand bar or grip 32. They are also connected by cross pieces 33 which are arranged in an inclined position at the lower ends of the upper portion 3| of the handle side members and secured thereto by suitable means indicated at 34. This cross piece 33 in the embodiment illustrated is of substantial width and is inclined so that it complements the back slats 26 or constitutes a. back member.

It will be noted that the back members 26 are disposed at an angle to the spindles 22 and, being rigidly connected to the side rails and side bars, coact with these elements in forming a triangular brace structure. This is of considerable importance as the various parts are so arranged as to brace and support each other in their normal positions and so that a rigid structure results even when formed of relatively light material, which is of course a feature greatly to be desired in a baby sled and particularly of the push type.

I have illustrated and described my improvementsin aV practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted t illustrate or describe certain modifications and adaptations which are possible, as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt by improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, front and rear, and intermediate cross pieces connecting said side rails, the iront cross piece being arranged on top of the side rails and the rear and intermediate cross pieces being arranged on the bottom thereof, runners curved upwardly at their front ends and secured to the under sides of the side rails, a pair of knees formed of sheet metal stampings having downwardly diverging legs secured to said runners and integral inwardly projecting brackets secured to the under side of the rear cross piece, bottom slats secured to said rear and intermediate cross pieces, side bars disposed above said side rails in spaced relation thereto and with their rear ends projecting rearwardly beyond the rear ends of the side rails, vertical spindles connecting said side bars to said side rails, back cross pieces secured between the rear ends of said side rails and side bars, rearwardly inclined back slats secured to said back' cross pieces and coacting with said spindles and side bars to provide a triangular bracing structure, a handle comprising side pieces having forwardly projecting arms at their lower ends secured to the inner sides of lthe side bars, said handle side pieces having inwardly offset upper portions, a at cross piece disposed between said handle side pieces above the back slats and between the inwardly oiset upper ends thereof to constitute a tie member therefor and a back member, and a grip disposed between the upper ends of said handle side pieces and secured thereto.

2.`In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, front, rear and intermediate cross pieces connecting said side rails, the front cross piece being arranged on top of the side rails and the rear and intermediate cross pieces being arranged on the bottom thereof, runners curved upwardly at their front ends and secured to the under sides of the-side rails, a single pair of knees formed of sheet metal stampings and having downwardly diverging legs secured to said runners and integral inwardly projecting brackets secured to the under side of the rear cross piece only, bottom slats secured to said rear and intermediate cross pieces, side bars disposed above said side rails in spaced relation thereto and with their rear ends projecting rearwardly beyond thev rear ends of the side rails,side members connecting said side bars to said side rails, back cross pieces secured between the rear ends of. said side rails and side bars, rearwardly inclined back slats secured to said back cross pieces and coacting with said side bars and side members to provide a triangular bracing structure, and a handle comprising handle side pieces secured to said side bars.

3. In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, front and rear and intermediate cross pieces connecting said side rails, the front cross piece being arranged on top of the side rails and the rear and intermediate cross pieces being arranged on the' bottom thereof, runners curved upwardly at.v their front ends and secured to the under sides of the-side rails, the securing means for the runners alsovsecuring said front cross piece, a pair of knees formed of sheet metal stampings and having downwardly diverging legs secured to said runners and integral inwardly projecting brackets secured to the under side of the rear cross piece, bottom slats secured to said rear and intermediate cross pieces, side bars disposed above said side rails in spaced relation thereto and with their rear ends projecting rearwardly beyond the rear ends of the side rails, vertical spindles connecting said side bars to said side rails,v back cross pieces secured betweenfthe rear ends of said side rails and side bars, rearwardly inclined back slats secured to said back cross pieces and coacting with said spindlesand side bars to provide a triangular bracing structure, and a handle comprising handle side pieces secured to said side bars.

4. In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, cross piecesitherefor, runners, a bottom, side bars disposed above said side rails in spaced relation thereto and with their rear ends projecting rearwardly beyond the rear ends of the side railsfside members connecting said side bars to said side rails, back cross pieces secured to the rearfends of 'said side rails and side bars, a rearwardly inclined back piece secured to said back cross pieces and coacting with said side bars and side members to provide a triangular bracing structure, a handle comprising side pieces having forwardly projecting arms at their lower ends secured tothe inner sides of the side bars, said handle side pieces having inwardly offset upper portions, a'at cross piece disposed between said handle side pieces above the back slats and between the inwardly offset upper ends thereof to constitutes. tie member therefor and a back member, and a grip disposed between the upper ends of said handle side pieces and secured thereto.

5. In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, crosspieces therefor, runners, a bottom, side bars 'disposed above said side rails in spaced relation thereto and with their rear ends projecting rearwardly beyond the rear ends of the side rails, side members connecting said side bars to said side rails, back cross pieces secured to the rear ends of said side rails and side bars, and a rearwardly inclined back piece secured to said back cross piec'es'and coacting with said side bars and side members to provide a triangular bracing structure.

6. In a childs sled, the combination of side rails, front and rear and intermediate cross pieces connecting said side rails, runners curved upwardly at their front ends and secured to the front ends of the side rails, a pair of knees secured to the runners and to the rear cross piece 

